Bridge
/brɪdʒ/noun
A structure built to span a physical obstacle such as a river, valley, or road.
Did you know?English *bridge* is from Old English *brycg*, and its deep Germanic relatives point to a simple but powerful idea: a built crossing, not a mystical one—yet the word has long symbolized passage between worlds.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰerǵʰ-
“to rise, high; an elevated structure or support”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brugjō
“bridge, causeway”
Old English
OE
brycg
“bridge”
Old Norse
ON
brú
“bridge”
Middle English
English
brigge
“bridge”
Modern English
English
bridge
“a structure for crossing over an obstacle”